My dentist is wearing them himself. He is probably late 50's. My former dentist that is. He retired early to do charitable work that was something along the line of doctors without borders but dental health in remote type villages. Dh remarked we must have been paying him too much 😁 I don't see him now so I don't know the outcome of his straightening - his mouth had always looked fine to me.

He asked me at one point if I was interested and I in turn asked him if I would have a health benefit to that expense. He admitted No, maybe just slightly cosmetic. I do have one lower front tooth very slightly crooked but I've always had compliments on my teeth and smile confidently and often - I was startled he suggested improving them and I left that day feeling like I'd been 'sales pitched' and it hadn't felt very professional.

If I had a tooth that was beginning to give me issues though, I'd want it corrected. Dental health is so important in our later years, has everything to do with our chewing, digestion, nutrition.

I'm not familiar with Invisalign braces but your $5,000 price tag is exactly what my 2nd tooth implant will cost. I have dental insurance but it's of little help when it comes to implants. I hope your investment (if you go that route) works well for you.

I had invisalign. I paid $6500. I think I could have done much better on pricing. Shop around! You don't have to get it at your dentist. I think it's more than a cosmetic issue. When your teeth get crowded and begin to overlap, it's harder to clean and get debris out--you can get more cavities and more problems. You are right -- dental health is important!

" Are they really worth getting? "

That's up to you. If your dentist only mentioned it to answer your question and hasn't previously mentioned it, isn't that an indication that teeth straightening isn't essential for the specifics of your dental health?

A relative who's a dentist had it done while in dental school - as kind of a firsthand "let's see what the patient experience is like". The relative did a couple of residencies and is now in a specialty dental practice area where Invisialign is a non-fit for what they do.

Invisalign was created because its founders saw a business opportunity by offering a new income source for general dentists by poaching business from orthodontists. I believe Invisalign needs to be obtained from a licensed dentist, there may be others that don't.

I had metal braces put on 6 months ago. Today my teeth are straight. Invisalign and a retainer ....pretty much the same idea. Straight teeth that I can floss. It's worth it!

My 12yo granddaughter has Invisalign and they are working for her.

Has this been a gradual shift in your tooth positions, or does it seem like it's happening relatively quickly? I would be wondering why my teeth are shifting like that. I would want to first be sure that it isn't a problem with the underlying bone or tissues - because if it is, spending money and time on invisalign would be a waste of both.

Yes. I would be wondering why my teeth are moving in late adulthood.